BUFFALO, N.Y. (WKBW) — St. Ann’s Church, one of Buffalo’s most historic landmarks, is showing serious signs of deterioration as neighbors and preservationists warn the property is becoming both unsafe and unrecognizable.
Walking past the church on Broadway, the damage is hard to miss. Large portions of the roof are gone, sections of the structure are exposed, and residents say conditions continue to worsen.
The concerns come just months after a January fire destroyed the former St. Ann’s school building on the same property.
Now attention has turned to the church itself.
WATCH: 'It's a disgrace': Residents react as conditions worsen at historic St. Ann’s Church
"It’s a disgrace," said longtime resident Sheryl Williams, who has lived across from St. Ann’s since 1960.
Williams said the once-beautiful property has fallen into neglect.
"Look at the parking lot. I mean, if you go and look at the school parking lot, it is just disgraceful," Williams said.
Emily Jarnot with Preservation Buffalo Niagara said the church is facing significant structural threats.
She added that large portions of the roof have been removed, leaving holes that allow water and weather inside. Critical materials, including copper roofing and gutter linings, are also missing, exposing the building to further damage.
"The front of this beautiful, massive Gothic cathedral, you can see there are points of concern," Jarnot said.
She added that the property is also creating safety concerns for the surrounding neighborhood and emergency responders.
"This property is becoming really unsafe. It is putting the community at risk, the first responders at risk, so it is really important that we have the owner work on stabilizing this property and securing this property," Jarnot said.
Jarnot said the church entered new ownership earlier this year, which is why Preservation Buffalo Niagara is urging immediate action before conditions worsen further.
"This is infuriating. This door is certainly not secure. It is a worry to us and the community," Jarnot said.
A potential future investment group said it wants to be part of the solution.
Chaplain Gordon Klingenschmitt, spokesperson for ScholarPASS Foundation, said the group hopes to invest in the St. Ann’s campus. He said the effort is led by CEO Faisal Alam, a New York City investor with ties to Buffalo’s Bangladeshi community.
"We want something to be done too. We are with you. We want to invest in the community," Klingenschmitt said. "We want to be able to build a school campus, we want to build some affordable housing units, and we want to partner with the city."
He said whether redevelopment moves forward depends on city approval.
"Some of it can be rehabilitated. And some of it cannot, and we just need the city’s permission, really, to proceed with that negotiation," Klingenschmitt said.
Jarnot said buildings like St. Ann’s are part of Buffalo’s identity.
"Buildings like St. Ann’s are what make Buffalo Buffalo," Jarnot said.
For neighbors like Williams, the message is simple.
"Fix it or tear it down. Either or," she said.
7 News reached out to city officials for comment on the status of the property and is still waiting to hear back.
